National overviews

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PDF versions of the reports can be viewed and downloaded on the Our reports page. Measure data and maps can be downloaded from the Expore the data page.

Expenditure on specialist attendances
2015–16

by:

National overview map

The following is a Google map image showing the Local area (SA3), Local area (SA4), Local Hospital Network, Medicare Local catchment or Primary Health Network boundaries within Australia. Each Local area (SA3), Medicare Local catchment or Primary Health Network is coloured to reflect their performance for the selected measure and data period. The relationship between colour and value is displayed in the legend below the map.

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Additional boundary information

Primary Health Networks

From 1 July 2015, Primary Health Networks (PHNs) will play a critical role in networking health services across local communities so that patients, particularly those needing coordinated care, have the best access to a range of health care providers, including practitioners, community health services and hospitals.

PHNs will work directly with GPs, other primary care providers, secondary care providers and hospitals. As a result, care will be better coordinated across the local health system so that patients requiring help from multiple providers receive the right care in the right place at the right time. PHNs will work with other funders of services and purchase or commission high quality, locally relevant and effective services for groups of patients at risk of poor outcomes.

PHNs will assist in facilitating reform of the primary health care system. They will have a key role in trialling innovative ways of funding and integrated health service delivery models that align with national priorities and assessed regional needs.

Local Hospital Networks

A Local Hospital Network (LHN) is an organisation that provides public hospital services in accordance with the National Health Reform Agreement. In New South Wales, these hospital networks are known as Local Hospital Districts. Every public hospital in Australia is part of a Local Hospital Network (or district). Local Hospital Networks can comprise one or more hospitals, and they are usually defined as the hospitals serving a particular geographic area or a community, or as hospitals serving a particular function (for example, children’s hospitals or other specialist facilities within a state or territory).

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How to use the National overviews page

The National overviews page allows you to see the results for a selected measure across all Primary Health Network areas (PHNs) or Medicare Locals in Australia. Data may also be available for smaller geographies, such as Local areas (SA3).

Selecting measures

To view national results for different measures, use the box to the right of the map. This allows you to select the desired health measure to display on the map and in the tables below.

Step 1 – Select one of the six categories of measures (shaded in blue) using the drop down arrows to see the list of available measures.

Step 2 – Select the measure to display.

The results of your selection will be displayed in the map and in the tables below.

Tip:Where the results span multiple data periods (e.g. years), the map will default to displaying the most recent period. Use the arrows on the map or the drop-down menu above the chart to move between available data periods.

What is a Primary Health Network area?

The Australian Government announced in the 2014–15 Budget that Primary Health Networks (PHNs) would replace Medicare Locals from mid-2015. PHNs are responsible for connecting health services across local communities so that patients, particularly those needing coordinated care, have access to a range of health care providers, including practitioners, community health services and hospitals. PHNs will work directly with GPs, other primary care providers, secondary care providers and hospitals.

What is a Medicare Local?

Starting in mid-2011 and ending in mid-2015 Medicare Locals were responsible for planning and funding primary health services in communities across Australia. They helped to ensure patients could access the care they needed, particularly when a variety of health workers were involved in providing treatments.

Exploring the results

Map view

The results for your selected measure will be displayed on the map, with different colours displaying the range of results. Look at the legend key to the bottom of the map to understand what the colours mean. You can click on the map to see the name of a local area and the relevant result for that measure. You can also change the level of geography displayed on the map using the drop-down menu above the map, located under the measure title.

The map defaults to display results by Primary Health Network (PHN) area, with the option to add the following additional geographic boundaries to the map:

Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3)

Local Hospital Network (LHNs)

Medicare Local catchments.

Chart view

The data for the selected measure is displayed as a chart below the map allowing you to compare the performance of your local area against comparable areas across Australia. Results are available by Primary Health Network area and, where available, Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) or Medicare Local catchment, depending on the measure and data period selected.

The charts shown will vary, depending on the information displayed. The labels on the chart describe the measure, geography and the data periods displayed. Where applicable, these results are grouped by peer group.

For some measures, more than one data period is available. Select a data period from the drop-down menu above the chart to see available results for other data periods.

Tip:To find out more about the data available, or how the values were collected and calculated, select the ‘About the data’ icon below each chart.

Footnote symbols will be displayed on the chart where relevant. Hover over the symbol to see the footnote text, or scroll to the bottom of the chart to see all footnotes relevant to the chart.

Changing geographies

For selected measures, data may also be reported at smaller local geographies, such as Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3). If data are available at smaller geographies for the measure you have selected, there are two ways to change the geography you are viewing:

You can use the drop-down menu that is visible above the map under the measure title.

You can use the drop-down menus that appear above the chart to change your local geography.

Changing data periods

For selected measures, previous data periods may available to view. There are two ways to change data period you are viewing:

You can use the arrow that may appear on the map to navigate through previous data periods.

You can use the drop-down menu that appears above the chart to change your data period. Depending on the data period selected, your reporting unit will change.

What is a peer group?

The AIHW presents health performance information for diverse geographical areas that may differ from each other in many ways. To make it easier to compare fairly, where possible the AIHW allocates areas and hospitals into peer groups. This allows, for example, metropolitan areas or hospitals to be compared more easily to other similar areas or hospitals.

As Primary Health Network areas are much larger in size than Medicare Local catchments (there are 31 PHNs compared to 61 Medicare Locals), we have not at this time allocated PHNs into peer groups given the diversity in local communities within many PHNs.

In the case of Medicare Locals, they have been grouped into one of seven peer groups, based on remoteness, socioeconomic status and distance to hospitals. This allows:

Medicare Locals to be compared within the same metropolitan, regional or rural peer group

Local area comparisons

Results for the selected measure are displayed in the table below by local area. You can use the dropdown menus in the table below to explore the data, view earlier data periods or another local geography. You can view additional results for measures of health and care by selecting from the menu above on the right.

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) have been established with the key objectives of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients, particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes, and improving coordination of care to ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time.

Primary Health Network (PHN) areas are larger than Medicare Locals, and local communities within them are often more diverse than within Medicare Locals (there are 31 PHNs compared to 61 Medicare Locals). PHNs therefore at this time have not been allocated into peer groups. PHN area data will be updated as soon as practical after they become available.

Medicare Locals were replaced by Primary Health Networks in mid-2015. Primary Health Network area data will be updated as soon as practical after they become available. Medicare Local catchment data have been retained for reference purposes.

To more fairly compare health areas, Medicare Locals may be grouped into one of a number of peer groups, based on remoteness, socioeconomic status and distance to hospitals. For more information on Medicare Locals or on peer groups refer to the Glossary.

Statistical Areas Level 3 (SA3) are geographic areas defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). SA3s typically have a population of between 30,000 and 130,000 people. There are more than 300 SA3s in Australia.

Statistical Areas Level 4 (SA4) are geographic areas defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). SA4s typically have a population range from 100,000 to 300,000 people in regional areas, and from 300,000 to 500,000 people in metropolitan areas. There are 88 SA4s that cover the whole of Australia.

For more information on peer groups and the calculation of results refer to the Technical Note.

For more information on peer groups and the calculation of results refer to the Technical Note.

For more information on peer groups and the calculation of results refer to the Technical Note.

About the data

Expenditure on specialist attendances (2015–16)

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis of Department of Human Services, Medicare Benefits statistics 2015–16 and Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population 30 June 2015.

Specialist attendances are Medicare benefits-funded referred patient/doctor encounters, such as visits, consultations, and attendances by video conference, involving medical practitioners who have been recognised as specialists or consultant physicians for Medicare benefits purposes.

These services correspond with the 'specialist attendances' broad type of service group used in MBS statistics published by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.

Specialist attendances exclude obstetrics attendances, which are included in the 'Obstetrics' broad type of service group in official MBS statistics.

Notes:

Results for Primary Health Network areas were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into five equal-sized groups called quintiles. Results for local areas (SA3s) were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into ten equal-sized groups called deciles.

MBS statistics exclude services provided free of charge to public patients in hospitals, to Department of Veterans' Affairs beneficiaries, some patients under compensation arrangements and through other publicly funded programs, including jurisdictional salaried GP services provided in remote outreach clinics. Services provided through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations may include those provided by doctors-in-training with lower associated Medicare fees.

In 2015–16, the medicare benefits expenditure on specialist attendances per person varied across Local areas (SA3s), ranging from $158.93 in Eastern Suburbs - North (NSW) to $9.62 in Daly - Tiwi - West Arnhem (NT).

Notes:

Areas stated as having the highest or lowest results exclude those marked as interpret with caution (#).

Data are reported as dollars and cents, however for graphical display and ordering they are plotted unrounded.

The following is a legend for the National map. The first row shows the various colour ranges, the second is the relevant colour's range value and the third indicates which end is highest and lowest.

About the data

Expenditure on specialist attendances (2015–16)

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis of Department of Human Services, Medicare Benefits statistics 2015–16 and Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population 30 June 2015.

Specialist attendances are Medicare benefits-funded referred patient/doctor encounters, such as visits, consultations, and attendances by video conference, involving medical practitioners who have been recognised as specialists or consultant physicians for Medicare benefits purposes.

These services correspond with the 'specialist attendances' broad type of service group used in MBS statistics published by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.

Specialist attendances exclude obstetrics attendances, which are included in the 'Obstetrics' broad type of service group in official MBS statistics.

Notes:

Results for Primary Health Network areas were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into five equal-sized groups called quintiles. Results for local areas (SA3s) were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into ten equal-sized groups called deciles.

MBS statistics exclude services provided free of charge to public patients in hospitals, to Department of Veterans' Affairs beneficiaries, some patients under compensation arrangements and through other publicly funded programs, including jurisdictional salaried GP services provided in remote outreach clinics. Services provided through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations may include those provided by doctors-in-training with lower associated Medicare fees.

About the data

Expenditure on specialist attendances (2014–15)

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis of Department of Human Services, Medicare Benefits statistics 2014–15 and Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population 30 June 2014.

Specialist attendances are Medicare benefits-funded referred patient/doctor encounters, such as visits, consultations, and attendances by video conference, involving medical practitioners who have been recognised as specialists or consultant physicians for Medicare benefits purposes.

These services correspond with the 'specialist attendances' broad type of service group used in MBS statistics published by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.

Specialist attendances exclude obstetrics attendances, which are included in the 'Obstetrics' broad type of service group in official MBS statistics.

Notes:

Results for Primary Health Network areas were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into five equal-sized groups called quintiles. Results for local areas (SA3s) were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into ten equal-sized groups called deciles.

MBS statistics exclude services provided free of charge to public patients in hospitals, to Department of Veterans' Affairs beneficiaries, some patients under compensation arrangements and through other publicly funded programs, including jurisdictional salaried GP services provided in remote outreach clinics. Services provided through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations may include those provided by doctors-in-training with lower associated Medicare fees.

In 2014–15, the medicare benefits expenditure on specialist attendances per person varied across Local areas (SA3s), ranging from $161.02 in Eastern Suburbs - North (NSW) to $8.94 in Daly - Tiwi - West Arnhem (NT).

Notes:

Areas stated as having the highest or lowest results exclude those marked as interpret with caution (#).

Data are reported as dollars and cents, however for graphical display and ordering they are plotted unrounded.

The following is a legend for the National map. The first row shows the various colour ranges, the second is the relevant colour's range value and the third indicates which end is highest and lowest.

About the data

Expenditure on specialist attendances (2014–15)

Data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis of Department of Human Services, Medicare Benefits statistics 2014–15 and Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population 30 June 2014.

Specialist attendances are Medicare benefits-funded referred patient/doctor encounters, such as visits, consultations, and attendances by video conference, involving medical practitioners who have been recognised as specialists or consultant physicians for Medicare benefits purposes.

These services correspond with the 'specialist attendances' broad type of service group used in MBS statistics published by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.

Specialist attendances exclude obstetrics attendances, which are included in the 'Obstetrics' broad type of service group in official MBS statistics.

Notes:

Results for Primary Health Network areas were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into five equal-sized groups called quintiles. Results for local areas (SA3s) were ranked from highest to lowest and then split into ten equal-sized groups called deciles.

MBS statistics exclude services provided free of charge to public patients in hospitals, to Department of Veterans' Affairs beneficiaries, some patients under compensation arrangements and through other publicly funded programs, including jurisdictional salaried GP services provided in remote outreach clinics. Services provided through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations may include those provided by doctors-in-training with lower associated Medicare fees.